Needless Cruelty
 

Now that the Government has bowed to pressure from animal rights activists and banned the hunting of animals with hounds on the grounds that foxes and hares suffer unnecessarily prolonged deaths, will the Government be equally as zealous in stamping out other forms of unnecessarily prolonged deaths such as occurs in Kosher and Halal slaughterhouses? And if not, will it then explain why not? I was under the impression that the law of the land applied equally to all subjects of the crown, regardless of wealth, position or belief.
The method of slaughtering cattle, employed in Halal and Kosher slaughterhouses, involves placing the animal in a large steel cage which is then rotated through 180 degrees so that the animal is turned upside down, whereupon it’s throat is cut and it’s trachea is ripped out. The animal is not sedated or stunned in any way. The cage is then rotated once more and the animal is unceremoniously dumped on the floor of the slaughterhouse. Supporters and proponents of this method of slaughter claim that death claims the animal within a matter of seconds of the initial incision to its throat by sudden loss of blood pressure depriving the animal’s brain of blood.
In several videos, I have seen of the process ( http://www.peta.org.uk/ ) , the animals are not only fully conscious after they have been ejected from the cage, but are also able, in some instances, to stand and walk away from the cage before eventually dying up to two minutes later.
If the government is serious in it’s desire to alleviate the unnecessary suffering of animals, why is this archaic and barbaric method of slaughter still permitted? Why is it that there is apparently one law for the majority of British subjects and another quite different law for a minority of others?

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

I have often posed the same question A-Bob. But never get an answer. I also wrote to my last MP....and never got an answer.

It seems that there is a law for us....and none for them, and foxhunting was an excuse to try out the one-sided view!!

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

I never realised that is how they killed the animals, that is terrible and definately shouldn't be allowed, the poor animals!!!!

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

That is not the whole of it fibi. If you can stomach it, there are a couple of videos at the website I quoted.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

Don't think I could handle it, bit of a softie when it comes to animals, no need for any animal to suffer!!

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

I think that is half the problem most people do not realise what happens to farm animals. Meat comes to them shrinkwrapped in the supermarket and that is as far as they want to think about it. I reckon that 90% of people would be converted to Vegetarianism if they had to slaughter their own animals.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

I was always under the inpression that animals were killed quickly and in a humane way in this country A-B, what you have discribed is BARBARIC.Like fibi i could not watch animals being cruely treated or watch the video, i'm the person who had to stop watching lassie films because i would always end up in tears.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

I know I wouldn't be able to watch the videos. I agree that it is totally barbaric and should not be allowed. I don't care what reasons they give. It wouldn't be permitted in non-halal or non-kosher slaughterhouses in this country. It seems we have two levels of law. Why all the fuss about factory farming and battery hens by animal liberationists and so little said about this barbaric method of slaughter?

Maybe at one time it was the most humane way to kill an animal for food when there were few if any alternatives but we don't live in those ancient times any more.

If people can't live by the laws of this land why should the laws be changed to suit them?

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

In the main they are, but not in Halal and Kosher slaughterhouses. What is more, the meat from these places finds it's way onto your plate as well.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

When my children were growing up & we had eaten a nice Sunday roast, pork for example, after the meal as well as complimenting my wife for the excellent meal I would add & don't forget to say thank you to the pig. At first they would not understand why I would say this so I would explain to them that for us to have enjoyed the meat we have just eaten an animal had to die. So it was only fair that we should be grateful, they grew up with the understanding that meat isn't just something that comes from the butchers, we all still eat meat, but we are still grateful for the sacrifice that animal has made.
Although I wouldn't enjoy the task after all I pay extra for the slaughter man to perform it I would be amongst the 10% that would be prepared to kill my own animals for food. My father used to have a pen with a variety of animals, Hens, Geese, rabbits etc. because of this Sunday roast was always enjoyable in our house.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

My grandfather was one of those people who kept a small collection of livestock for eating purposes too. I grew up realising where our food came from.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

It is my understanding that halal meat can be killed in any way as long as prayers of thanks to Allah are offered at the time of slaughter, therefore it is not necessary to kill by cutting the throat, a bullet to the head would suffice but then this would cost money.

Whilst on holiday in Egypt we went through a meat market and the meat for sale was killed by the stall holder when someone bought it, I found it quite horrifying really.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

I'm not sure about that J-Baby.

I have witnessed Halal slaughtering in several countries and although sometimes an Imam is present and says a few words, they always slit the animals throat and hold its neck down in the gutter (or into a large can), for it to bleed to death (which is mostly quite a slow death). When a few words are said, it is normally a more ritualistic slaughter, say for a wedding or a religious feast, such as the end of Rahmadan.

As far as I know, the animal MUST be bled to death so that all the blood is naturally pumped away. However, I am not sure of the facts.

Perhaps Mufti may come back on site and enlighten us all?

I've also seen a few other horrendous things carried out in Africa and the Middle East, and Halal slaughter is certainly not the worst of them.

I'd rather be a fox with a chance than a goat in a meat market!!

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

One of the questions asked when I was traveling to the middle east was how much do we put our watches back?
The answer was about 400yrs

The arabic word http://www.eat-halal.com/images/halal.gif (Halal) means lawful. In the Holy Quran, Allah commands Muslims and all of mankind to eat of the Halal things. Among the many verses of the Quran that convey this message.

Animals such as cows, sheep, goats, deer, moose, chickens, ducks, game birds, etc., are also Halal, but they must be Zabihah (slaughtered according to Islamic Rites) in order to be suitable for consumption. The procedure is as follows: the animal must be slaughtered by a Muslim. The animal should be put down on the ground (or held it if it is small) and its throat should be slit with a very sharp knife to make sure that the 3 main blood vessels are cut. While cutting the throat of the animal (without severing it), the person must pronounce the name of Allah or recite a blessing which contains the name of Allah, such as "Bismillah Allah-u-Akbar".



The arabic word http://www.eat-halal.com/images/haram.gif (Haram) means unlawful. The following items have been categorically spelled out as being Haram by jurists in light of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad http://www.eat-halal.com/images/saw.gif:

1. Pig
2. Blood
3. Carnivorous animals
4. Almost all reptiles and insects
5. The bodies of dead animals
6. Halal animals which are not slaughtered according to the Islamic Law.
7. Wine, Ethyl Alcohol, and Spirits. The above mentioned items are Haram and should be avoided by all Muslims.

Re: Needless Cruelty
 

Hi Darby, I've been looking at some literature re Halal V Haram,

'....another opinion holds that since the Qur'an is clear in stating that the food of Christians and Jews is lawful, Muslims who live in predominantly Christian countries may eat commercial meat (except pork) pronouncing Gods name at the time of eating',
so according to this there really is no need for the bleeding of animals.